Toy money-box



(I40 Modeli) J. H. BOWEN.

Toy Money Box.

No. 232,628. Patented Sept. 28, 188.0. .11 .1. 1%.2.

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N PETERS. FHDTO-LITHOGRAFNER. WASHINGTON, D C.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES H. BOWEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY MONEY-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,628, dated September 28, 1880.

Application filed June 8, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES H. BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement {in "Toy Money-Boxes, which im provement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 3 are perspective views of the toy money-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of a toy money-box of the form of a bird, animal, or other figure,

having a rotatable head and a coin-supporting ledge or perch located at the side of the body in such relation to the head that when the latter is rotated it uncovers an opening leading into the body and permits the coin to fall and enter the body, the figure appearing to make a dash at the coin at the side of its head and then swallow it.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the box, which, in the present case, is in the form of an owl, the body B whereof is supported on a suitable base, a, and the head 0, connected to the body by a vertical axis, so as to be capable of rotation horizontally, said axis, in the present case, consisting of a shaft, D, which is fitted in guides 12, within the body B, and has secured to it a lever, E, or a cord or other piece or means conveniently accessible, for the purpose of imparting rotation in one direction to said shaft 1), and consequently to the head, the rotation in the other direction being accomplished by a spring, F, one end of which is connected to the shaft D and the other end to a proper portion of the body B.

The top edge of the body B, at the side thereof, is cut away or notched to form a throat,

(No model.)

G, as the inlet for coin or money into the body B, and projecting from said edge, adjacent to the throat, is a ledge, perch, or rest, H, for primarily supporting the coin or money.

Depending from the head at the side is a guard, J, so disposed that when the parts are in their normal positions the guard covers the throat and prevents the descent of the coin or money.

The operation is as follows: The coin is placed on the rest H and in contact with the guard J The leverE is now operated so that a quick rotary motion is imparted to the head 0, thus presenting the appearance of the bird having discovered the existence of the coin at the side of its head and making a dash or reaching for it. The guard J, moving with the head 0, leaves the throat G and uncovers it, whereby the coin, being no longer controlled, falls through the throat into the body B. The lever E is then released, and as the head quickly returns to its normal position and the coin has disappeared the action of the bird has been apparently to reach the coin and swallow it, the whole providing an amusing toy as well as a box or bank for money.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A toy money-box in the form of a bird or other figure having a body with a rotatable head and means for rotating the same, a guarded coin-inlet and a coin-support at the side of the body, whereby on rotation of the head of the figure the inlet is uncovered and the coin is permitted to drop into the body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

J. H. BOWEN. 

